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Dumbo

Dumbo

Soar to new heights.

2019112 minPGMidcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Director
Tim Burton
Starring
Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green

A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dumbo?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Dumbo streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Dumbo?

Dumbo earns 6 badges, led by Star-studded and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Dumbo worth watching?

Dumbo's Midcredits score is the 46th percentile of all films, from 288K ratings across 6 sources. 47% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

46th percentile

Better received than 46% of films

53rd percentile among Adventure46th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)43rd
Approval (how many liked it)48th

60 /100

43rd percentile of all films

50th percentile among Adventure44th percentile among 2010s

Critics 51 · Audience 60

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

47% liked it

48th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Adventure47th percentile among 2010s
47% rated it 7–1053% rated it 1–6

Critics 46% · Audience 47%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 14 noms overall

77th percentile

288K ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Adventure79th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$170M
Opening weekend$46M
Domestic gross$115M
Worldwide gross$353M

Returned 2.1× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film expands the original's simple story with additional human characters and subplots, for better or worse.

Fans praised

  • CGI Dumbo is adorable and expressive
  • Keaton and DeVito's reunion is a highlight
  • Visually stunning set pieces and production design

Detractors panned

  • Overstuffed script sidelines the title character
  • Child actors give wooden, distracting performances
  • Murky Burton aesthetic feels mismatched and unappealing

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive75

Impressive CGI Dumbo; flying scenes and Dreamland set pieces praised

ActingDivisive60

Keaton and DeVito shine; Farrell passable; child actors widely panned as wooden

CinematographyDivisive55

Lavish visuals but murky color palette divides opinion

Emotional impactDivisive50

Moments with Dumbo and his mother move some viewers, but many find it lacks heart

Plot and storyDivisive45

Convoluted with too many side plots; loses focus on Dumbo

OriginalityDivisive45

Deviates from original but falls back on predictable tropes

CharactersDivisive40

Thinly written, one-note villain, underdeveloped supporting cast

PacingDivisive40

Drags in second act; overlong compared to original

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Dumbo like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmBittersweetHopefulTense
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of filmsAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material with earnest warmth, balancing wonder and sentiment with a dark, stylized backdrop.
The rideThe film balances warm family moments with underlying tension as the dark secrets are hinted at, peaking in the middle act when the park's sinister plans unfold.
StructureThe film follows a conventional beginning-middle-end structure, with setup in the circus, conflict at Dreamland, and resolution with Dumbo's rescue.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a warm, uplifting feeling as Dumbo is freed and the circus finds a new direction.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeThe story centers on a greedy entrepreneur (Vandevere) who exploits Dumbo and oppresses the circus, leading to a rescue and liberation that also reforms the circus.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% (this title) · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsFreedom · 5% of filmsPrejudice · 3% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the bond between Dumbo and his mother, and between the Farrier children and their father, as they navigate a world that exploits Dumbo's difference.
StanceThe film celebrates the bonds of family and the courage to stand against exploitation, while also gently observing the bittersweet nature of letting go.

The world

Early 20th centuryInstitutionalRuralStylized realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Danny Elfman
Settinga struggling traveling circus and a grand, modern amusement park
MusicDanny Elfman's score swells with whimsical and emotional themes that underscore the fantastical moments.

Content guide

Is Dumbo okay for kids?

PG

Dumbo is rated PG: “Rated PG for peril/action, some thematic elements, and brief mild language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (34/100), sexual content at mild (15/100), language at mild (21/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (15/100) and frightening material at moderate (41/100). Overall it is heavier than 37% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 24 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • New ZealandPG
  • JapanG
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • Belgium16
  • Denmark7
  • FinlandK-7
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/6
  • RO12
  • Russia6+
  • SingaporePG
  • SK7
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland6
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 10% of all filmsHeavier than 37% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 46%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 30%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 36%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 28%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 61%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 61% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Dumbo have?

MovieCove's classifier found 2 depicted content warnings in Dumbo: Animal cruelty (moderate), plus 1 withheld here because it would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory (behind the spoiler gate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateAnimal cruelty

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Dumbo?

Cast

5 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Colin Farrell
as Holt Farrier
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Keaton
as V. A. Vandevere
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Danny DeVito
as Max Medici
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Eva Green
as Colette Marchant
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Nico Parker
as Milly Farrier
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Alan Arkin
as J. Griffin Remington
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Roshan Seth
as Pramesh Singh
Deobia Oparei
as Rongo
Joseph Gatt
as Neils Skellig
Douglas Reith
as Sotheby
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Dumbo?

Movies like Dumbo include Paddington (2014), The Jungle Book (2016) and Christopher Robin (2018). Of the 12 closest matches, all are family adventures and fantasy films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Dumbo?

1.7K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: tycoon. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.